Powering the future with soft electrostatic actuators and energy harvesters

Powering the future with soft electrostatic actuators and energy harvesters A team of researchers at the University of Trento provides a perspective on the role that soft actuators and energy harvesters play in building the mechatronic devices of the future. As mechatronic technologies become increasingly pervasive, their evolution is moving toward softer, more adaptable shapes. Traditional rigid robots, once confined to industrial settings, are giving way to flexible systems designed to collaborate safely with humans and handle delicate tasks, embracing the principles of soft robotics. (1) Regarded as a key strategic area by the European Commission,(2) soft robotics represents a vision for increasingly integrated and pervasive robotic systems.